Man accused of killing parents, sister, ‘couldn’t fathom’ why they were targeted

Police believe all three died in a house fire in Castor, Alta., in December 2013. (Photo By Hanhil (talk) 05:35, 24 September 2009 (UTC) – Own work, File:Canada Alberta location map.svg by NordNordWest, CC BY-SA 3.0)

RED DEER, Alta. — A central Alberta man accused of killing his parents and his sister told police he couldn’t understand why anyone would harm them.

Jason Klaus, who is 41, is charged with first-degree murder and arson in the deaths of his parents, Gordon and Sandra Klaus, and his sister Monica Klaus.

Police believe all three died in a house fire in Castor, Alta., in December 2013.

His trial heard statements Klaus gave to RCMP the day his parents’ remains were found in the rubble of the house fire and in another interview a few days later.

Klaus described his family as being “really close” and said he couldn’t believe all three were gone.

Throughout his interviews with police, Klaus said he “couldn’t fathom” anyone wanting to do harm to him or his family.

Klaus mentioned to police that there was a deer head inside his parents’ home worth about $200,000.

He told police the day before his parents were found dead, he’d done chores on the family’s cattle farm as he always did before staying for dinner and helping to put up Christmas decorations.

He said he spent a few hours at the Castor Hutterite Colony, then was at the Thirsty Beaver bar in Castor until about 2 a.m., when he left for home.

Klaus said he lived about a “three-minute drive” from his parents. As he drove past their home, Klaus said he looked over and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

He found out his parents and sister had died when he got a call the next morning from a friend who told him his parents’ house had burned down, he told police.

Joshua Frank, a friend of Klaus, faces the same charges along with one related to animal cruelty.

Klaus and Frank were arrested and charged in August 2014 after police dive teams discovered a key piece of evidence.